Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Release Date – January 3, 2012
Publisher Website – Raincoast Books/ Feiwel & Friends
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 387 pages
My Rating- 8.5/10
**Obtained from publisher and Netgalley for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

Cinder is just your typical fairytale. A pretty young girl sits covered in dirt, always kept busy by her overbearing guardian and “step-sisters”. Sounds familiar right. Did I mention she a mechanic? Oh and she also happens to be a cyborg.

The characters are what really shine in this novel. They are all so engaging. You either love them, or love to hate them. Cinder is someone that stands up for herself, thinks of others, and tries to do what is right. Iko, her android friend, is gossip obsessed, hilarious, and just fun. I ended up chuckling at so many of the things Iko said. Prince Kai is charming, kind, confused and trying to hold a quickly escalating situation under control. Cinder’s family is even well developed.

The relationship with Prince Kai and Cinder builds at a great pace. He’s intrigued by her, and I think the fact Cinder turns him down actually makes him MORE interested. The one girl who would say no to the Prince has to catch his eye. The relationship is just getting started and I love how it is being built.

The Lunars are a race of human like beings that have some pretty terrifying capabilities. I found myself fascinated by them, especially Queen Levana and her thirst for power. This will not be the last we hear of them, and I am looking forward to learning more.

Was the plot a little predictable? Yes, but Marissa manages to make it seem fresh and make you want to keep reading. The world she’s built is amazing, and so developed. I love that she was able to capture the essence of the classic Cinderella tale, yet make it her own. The classic image of Cinderella running from the ball and losing her glass slipper included.

This is the first book in a 4 book series. If you, like me, have ever wanted some of your favourite Disney Princesses in the same story this just might make you squeal. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much the storylines from each book are going to overlap. We get our first glimpse of Cress (Rapunzel) and mentions of Winter (Snow White). The book is left on a cliff hanger that lets you know Cinder’s story is just beginning.

If you like fairytales, and want a unique, futuristic twist this will more than satisfy. It’ll appeal to all readers (even guys) and really does offer something for everyone – romance, action, intrigue, and delightful characters.